A judge
presiding over the cases of free trade protesters said in courtthat he saw
''no less than 20 felonies committed by police officers''during the November
demonstrations, adding to a chorus of complaintsabout police
conduct.

Judge Richard Margolius, 60, made the remarks in open court last
week,saying he was taken aback by what he witnessed while attending
theprotests.

''Pretty disgraceful what I saw with my own eyes. And I
have alwayssupported the police during my entire career," he said, according
to acourt transcript. "This was a real eye-opener. A disgrace for
thecommunity."

In the transcript, he also said he may have to remove
himself from anyadditional cases involving arrests made during the Free
Trade Area ofthe Americas summit. ....

CIRCUIT
JUDGE

Margolius, appointed to the bench in 1982, retired as a circuit
judge in2001 but said he still hears cases 15 to 20 weeks a year when courts
areoverburdened.

On Friday, he chose not to elaborate on the remarks
he made from thebench Dec. 11.

''I can't comment on pending cases,"
he said. "It was inappropriate forme to make the comments I made. A
reasonable person could question my neutrality because of statements I made in
open court."

The judge did not single out a police department. More than
three dozenagencies were part of the FTAA security effort. The Miami
PoliceDepartment coordinated most police operations. ....

During the Dec. 11 hearings, the judge asked an assistant state attorney,
"How many police officers have been charged by the State Attorney so far for
what happened out there during the FTAA?"

None, the prosecutor
replied.

''None?" asked the judge. "Pretty sad commentary. At least from
what Isaw."

The judge also wondered aloud how much the ''whole
episode'' had costtaxpayers.

''I know one thing. There were police
officers from every agency -- Icouldn't believe the sheer numbers," he said.
....

Two citizens' panels plan to hold a joint meeting Jan. 15 to
hearcomments and complaints about police conduct during the FTAA, and both
Miami-Dade and Miami police are conducting internal reviews. ....